Part 4

Over all this boiling-up of busy-ness sat Henry VII. and Henry VIII., as almost irresponsible sovereigns, and out of it grew the Commons of England! The population meantime increased with wonderful strides. In 1377 the population of England and Wales did not exceed 2,500,000. By the military musters, taken 1574-5, there were 1,172,674 of able men for service, which it is estimated would give a total population of about 4,700,000. This astonishing revolution of trade and learning is so remarkable that I must quote a portion of what old Harrison says on the changes he had noticed within fifty years. His most curious _Description of Britain_ was printed with Hollingshed's _Chronicle_ in 1586, but was probably written some ten years earlier: an exacter date I have not yet been able to fix. "There are old men yet dwelling in the village where I remaine which have noted three things to be marvellouslie altered in England within their sound remembrance: and other three things too, too much increased. One is the multitude of chimnies latelie erected, whereas in their young daies there were not abouve two or three, if so many, in most uplandish townes of the realme [the religious houses and manor places of their lords alwaies excepted, and peradventure some great personages], but eche one made his fire against a reredosse in the haull where he lived and dressed his meat; secondly, the bedding [now feathers and comfort, &c., then straw or wood only, &c.]; thirdly, the exchange of vessells as of treene platters into pewter, and wooden spoones into silver or tin. So common were all sorts of treene stuff in old time, that a man should hardlie find four pieces of pewter [of which one was peradventure a salt] in a good farmer's house, &c., &c., &c. Whereas, in my time, altho' peradventure £4 of old rent be improved to £40, £50 or £100, yet will the farmer, as another palm or date tree, think his gaines verie small toward the end of his term if he have not six or seven years' rent lieng by him, therewith to purchase a new lease, besides a faire garnish of pewter on his cupbord, with so much more in od vessell going about the house, three or four feather bedds, so many coverlids and carpets of tapistrie, a silver salt, a bowle for wine [if not an whole neast], and a dozzen of spoones to furnish up the sute."

But, alas, there is another side to all this national prosperity. From this time, also, agriculturists--required in fewer numbers under the new styles of cultivation (which aimed at grazing and the production of wool)--crowded into the towns in hope of work, and large portions of the population began to sink into the lowest depths of poverty.

In our researches as to the shapes of shields we have now, therefore, lost that rich body of evidence supplied by the seals on charters, which extended to nearly the end of the fifteenth century, and the MS. pictures of knights and tournaments. The evidences now available consist of pedigrees, the smaller heraldic seals attached to documents and deeds, heraldic visitations and grants of arms, printed books on heraldry, which begin 1496, stained glass, the stone carvings on buildings, tombs, and ledger stones, and, from the end of the seventeenth century or a little earlier, book-plates. Coins, too, now prove of some value to us, showing what were prevailing types of shields.

But inasmuch as there were no shields actually in use, the shapes prevailing now became entirely a matter of fashion and taste. Randle Holme prints sixty-five varieties of shields, and remarks (p. 10 in his _Academy of Armoury_, Chester, 1688):--"But [as to the former shield] so to this, a question may be made, whether such an one was used by him, or only the invention of the cutter? If so, then the shapes and forms of shields, targets, and bucklers would be as many as carvers, stone cutters, engravers, and painters please." Gerard Legh gets the credit of having greatly multiplied, in his _Accedens of Armoury_, 1562, the fanciful shapes of shields; and later writers on heraldry seem to have followed him. [_Herald and Genealogist_, vol. i, p. 191.] But an examination of the _Wappenbüch_, published in Germany in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and similar heraldic drawings of Italian coats, have opened out to me a vastly wider field for variety than old Randle Holme ever supposed. I have before me a copy of _Virgil Solis_, which was published at Nurnberg in 1555. This contains hundreds of coats, in shields of an endless variety of shapes and great boldness of design; and when we come to critically compare these shields with one another, we discover that their outlines depend upon the charges! These were _first_ laid down with grotesque boldness, and the outline of the shield to bear them was then drawn around them, to the artist's fancy of what best suited the bearings and would most reduce the amount of empty field. This is, after all, only reversing the ancient method, where a lion was distorted to suit a pointed heater; and it is suggested that a pale, for a similar reason, might sometimes be pointed into a pile. With this revelation from _Virgil Solis_, we can detect that the same method of designing prevails elsewhere. We must therefore multiply Randle Holme's carvers, stone cutters, engravers, and painters by the possible variety of their fancies, and then multiply the quotient by the number of all the heraldic bearings--plus all the positions and forms they may be made to assume--if we wish to arrive at the variety of shields possible during the period we are now about to consider.

In deference to this unanswerable position, I find it necessary to alter entirely the classification pursued in the earlier centuries--to take Mr. Rylands' drawings seriatim, and to give for each shape the earliest and latest dates at which, in my limited researches, I have found them in use. This method of treatment eliminates from our enquiry all strictly fanciful shields which did not gain a hold on public taste, and leaves us still with a sufficiently heavy list of variations to which it is possible, from their frequent recurrence, to attach the dates.

A few leading remarks on points bearing on our subject will prove useful at this stage of our enquiry.

Before watches became common, seals were sometimes attached to the arms, like bracelets. In _Mercurius Rusticus_, No. 30 (for 19/20 July, 1660), an advertisement appears for "a gold seal, being a coat of arms, cut in a piece of gold, in the form of a lozenge, fastened to a black ribband to tye about the wrist." In the _Visitation of Essex, 1634_ [Harleian Society, p. 455], appears the following certificate:--"This coate is certiffied by Thomas Scott to bee by him seen on a seale some 40 years since, and to be the seale of armes of Thomas Moore Esq. father of the said Hunting Moore, and that Robert Scott his father did weare the same about his neck in a scarffe about xx yeares--in witnes whearof I have sett to my hand. Tho. Scott." [Robert Scott had married Anne, daughter of Richard Hunting and relict of Thomas Moore, of Orsett, co. Essex.] This seal was, of course, a ring.

Watches, which naturally suggest small attached seals, were, however, in pretty general use in Queen Elizabeth's reign. In Shakespeare's _Twelfth Night_, Malvolio says:--"I frown the while, and perchance _wind up my watch_, or play with some rich jewel." A watch was found upon Guy Fawkes, 3 James I. (1605/6), which he and Percy had bought the day before, "to try conclusions for the long and short burning of the powder."--Stow's _Chronicle_, p. 878, and introduction to Mr. Reuben Burrow's _Almanac_ for 1778.

LINES FOR TINCTURES.

The first English examples of seals with lines in the engraving, to indicate the tinctures, are said to be on some of those attached to the death warrant of Charles I., 1648-9 [Planché's _Pursuivant of Arms_]. Now, as this system was unquestionably first devised by Father Silvester de Petra Sancta--whose two books, _L'Armorial ou la Science du Blason_, 4to, and _Soumaire Armorial_, 4to, were both published in Paris 1638--it seems curious that within ten years we should find such conventional lines in use in England; and it follows, also, that such of these seals as were so treated in 1648 must all have been recently cut! A diagram, showing the colours so indicated, is given by Sir Edward Bysse in his edition of Nicholas Upton's work, _De Usu Militari_, published in 1654. The earlier works on heraldry, which I have been able to consult, have the illustrations in somewhat rough wood blocks--it would have been difficult and expensive at that time to have got finer work in wood; but we must remember that Sylvanus Morgan, in his _Armilogia_, published 1666, refers to Silvester de Petra Sancta's Epistles, and elaborately describes--as if they were something quite startling and new--why the several conventional lines were selected. John Gibbon, in his _Introductio ad Latinam Blazoniam_, published London 1682, p. 152, says, "for the distinction of colours in arms [which was devised by the Rev. Father S. de Petra Sancta]," and he (Gibbon) frames some Latin verses for the better remembering thereof; but in the woodcuts which adorn his book he does not follow the system which he recommends. The earliest English book which shows them in the copper plate engravings is Bysse's edition of Nicholas Upton, published, as already noticed, in 1654. I am aware that Boutell, in his _Heraldry_, chap. v, says that such lining may be occasionally found before 1630. Now there seems no manner of doubt as to the inventor; and any references with dates, which Mr. Boutell could have given, would have been valuable indeed! At present we are involved in a paradox: if Father Silvester invented the idea; did he discuss it for years, perhaps before committing it to print, and having his own beautiful copper plate illustrations so drawn in 1638? I point out this interesting question. Any instance of a seal or engraving so treated with the proper lines to represent tinctures and occurring before 1638 should be carefully noted with the exact dates; and I venture to think any such solitary instance would prove to be purely accidental. The seal of Sir Edward Nicholas, secretary to Charles II., engraved for him by the celebrated Thomas Simon, does not show any tincture lines (see the woodcut at p. 45). In this seal the second and third quarters are the paternal arms of Nicholas, while in the first and fourth are displayed that honourable augmentation granted to Sir Edward in 1649. We may safely conclude that this seal was cut immediately after he received that distinction. Particulars of Sir Edward's career may be learned from Manning and Bray's _History of Surrey_, vol. iii, p. 40; also from Hoare's _South Wiltshire_, p. 88. He was Secretary to Charles I., followed Charles II. into exile, and was continued by him in his post of Secretary. He eventually returned with him, and died in 1669, at the age of seventy-seven.

I regret I have never had the opportunity to examine for myself the original death-warrant which was carried out on that chill thirtieth day of January, 1648-9; and so I am not able to say with exactness which of the seals show tincture lines, as it is said they do.

CHAPLETS OR WREATHS.

About the end of the fifteenth century, arms are frequently found surrounded by a wreath of laurel or bay leaves, usually, at this date, divided into four parts by ribbands. Menestrier gives the date 1480 as the earliest instance he has found [his most learned works seem too little known by English heralds: the _Origine des Armoiries_ was published in Paris 1679, and the _Origine des Ornemens des Armoiries_ in Paris 1680]. We see an example in the tomb of Margaret, Countess of Richmond, 1509, in Westminster Abbey (engraved Sandford's _Genealogical History_, 1677, p. 326)--see No. 74. We find similar wreaths or garlands in Sylvanus Morgan's _Sphere of Gentry_, published 1661, vol. i, p. 22, and vol. ii, p. 68; and engravings of several fanciful varieties are also there given. Wreaths of olive, formed of two branches tied at the top and bottom with ribbands, appear several times surrounding coats of arms in W. Hollar's beautiful engravings in Thoroton's _History of Nottinghamshire_, published 1677 (see pages 199, 200, 203, 310, 486 and 487).

After a while, such wreaths were frequently introduced in the outer edge surrounding official and also personal round seals, and so arranged that they more resemble bell-shaped flowers of three leaves (like the side view of blue bells), and without any dividing ribbands. The annexed wood-cut of the Statute Merchants' seal of Carlisle, 1670, will show this. This seal was in two halves to be kept in separate custody, and when used, these were screwed together into a handle to make it complete before affixing to any deed. The seal and handle are here shown from the engraving in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, 16th May, 1889. Throughout the eighteenth century, the blue bell ornament appears in corporate seals, and book-plates about 1800 are found surrounded by such oval bell-flowered wreaths.

PALM BRANCHES.

Menestrier [_Origine des Ornemens_, published 1680] writes:--"Now [_aujourd'hui_] persons of quality, particularly married ladies [_femmes_], place two palms together on the escutcheon of their arms, which makes an agreeable ornament, and is, at the same time, the symbol of conjugal love, which the ancients have represented by the palms, male and female." The earliest instance I have noted in England is on the cups of Sir E. B. Godfrey, who died in 1678 [engraved in _Gentleman's Magazine_, 1848, and in _Topographer and Genealogist_, vol. ii, p. 467]. They occur beneath a shield of Bridgeman, Bart. (the plain arms not impaled), in Sandford's _Genealogical History_, 1677, p. 228; also on a monumental slab, 1671, engraved in _Miscell. Genealogica et Heraldica_, 1884, vol. i, p. 151. About 1765 we see two palms extensively used as decorations below Georgian shields (see the plates in Dugdale's _Warwickshire_, 1765; Hasted's _Kent_, 1778; Rudder's _Gloucestershire_, 1779; and Hutchin's _Dorsetshire_, 1774). Such are extensively seen throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and were frequently painted, as a pleasing decoration, below the arms on carriage panels, almost to our own times. But they must have lost the original symbolism, for they occur constantly on ledger tombs [see _Miscell. Genealogica et Heraldica_, Mar., 1885, p. 233; dated 1696], and must then refer to the resurrection life. They are found in book-plates in the middle of the eighteenth century, and continue down to 1800 or later. The ledger tomb to Ashley Palmer and his wife at Hawstead, dated 1792, shows a pleasing example. This engraving is from _Miscell. Genealogica et Heraldica_, 1885, p. 307.

SUPPORTERS.

It is hard to say when we may so name the grotesque animals, which first appeared to fill up the fields in seals even earlier than the fourteenth century--see that of Ralph de Monthermer, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, 1299 [engraved, Nicholas Upton, edition 1654, p. 63], and several of those attached to the Baron's letter, 1301 (_Monumenta Vetusta_, vol. i). These gradually, as the fourteenth century progresses, assume an appearance on seals exactly corresponding with our modern supporters. We have "S' Fratris Thome Archer," 1325 (Nicholas Upton, p. 73), supported by two lions rampant counter-regardant (see No. 75); "Sigillum Petri de Veel," 1361 (on the same page) supported by two helmets with panaches, very similar to those of Edmund de Arundel still earlier 1301, given on p. 23, and Edmund Mortimer, 1372, engraved on p. 26; and we have two griffins supporting the helmet in the seal of Richard, Earl of Arundel, 1330-75, see p. 27. In the next century, supporting animals appear on many of the large and beautiful seals: two greyhounds in that of John, Lord Clinton de Say, 1438 (see No. 54); two horses in that of John, Earl of Arundel, 1415-21 (see _Herald and Genealogist_, vol. ii, p. 55); two heraldic antelopes support the crest of Humfrey, Earl of Stafford and Perche, 1438 (_Archæologia_, vol. xxxviii, p. 273); and many others might be quoted. It is quite impossible to say when we may begin to call such decorative adjuncts "supporters." Planché (_Pursuivant_, p. 177) says that at the close of the fourteenth century, in one instance, Richard II. (1377) used two white harts, his favourite badge, as supporters; but that those of Henry VI. (1422) are considered to begin the Royal series. In France, one supporter is frequently seen and is then called a "tenant." In Scotland, where French influence is in many ways visible, we frequently meet with seals where a single tree, man, bird, fabulous beast, &c., &c., supports the shield of arms. Menestrier [_Origine des Ornemens_, p. 93] traces many of these grotesque animals to the attendants at tournaments who paraded in such disguises, carrying the shields and weapons of the knights.

Supporters also occur in illuminations and carvings, and not being then confined within the narrow sphere of a seal, they stand much as in modern drawings--see the arms of Edward IV., 1460, in Willement's _Regal Heraldry_; also the carving on the Founder's pew in North Witham Church, co. Lincoln, being the arms and supporters of Sir Thomas de la Laund, 1470 (_Archæological Journal_, vol. ii, p. 87).

From the above remarks it will be seen that no datings, at any rate in the earlier centuries, can be deduced from the presence of supporters; indeed, there are instances of stone carvings on dwellings, in which it seems to me that the cutter, as in early seals, has added supporters merely to beautify his design and balance his shield, without any heraldic intention or authority whatever. Heraldry was a "mystery" as well as a science, and if the cutter had placed supporters, when decorating the mansion of a neighbouring lord, he might, in the same way, balance his design on the house of some obscure gentleman.

MOTTOES.

Called in French "Devises" or, when of ancient origin, "Cri de guerre." Menestrier (_Origine des Ornemens_) traces such to very ancient, even Roman, times. These arose from various circumstances, often accidental and frivolous, and as fresh mottoes were frequently assumed by English families, it is sometimes possible to establish an approximate date by discovering when the accompanying motto was adopted.

HELMETS,

sometimes, on early seals and carvings, are valuable as indications of date and examples of the types then prevalent; but, in other and later instances, they seem to be fancifully treated, and so would not be reliable. They form too large a subject for discussion here, and one that has been most ably and exhaustively treated in works on Armour.

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I now proceed to consider the shapes as sketched, taking the several numbers by the groups into which they naturally fall. Many more instances might have been quoted for the various shapes, but I have selected these to show, so far as I have been able to gather them, the extreme range of dates.

Perhaps I may venture here to remark that the search for ancient shapes of shields, with a view to their slavish reproduction, which is now so usual, does not seem to have been so prevalent before about the year 1840. This is the date which seems generally accepted as that when originality in the matter of seals and book-plates ceased, and every variety of old examples began to be sedulously searched out and copied.

All of these shields are subject to slight variations of outline, according to the fancy of the artist and their necessary adaptation to their surroundings.

No. 8 in the accompanying plate of shapes appears in stained glass to the memory of Sir Wm. Berdwell (will, dated 1434), Blomefield's _Norfolk_, vol. i, p. 203.

An Irish instance, but of very ungraceful proportions, date 1507, is engraved _Archæological Journal_, vol. xv, p. 188.

It also occurs in the mantelpiece at Helmdon, Northants, 1533; described in _Archæologia_, vol. xiii, plate 12.

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Nos. 9, 10, 11, and 12 all occur on the beautiful monument to Abbot Thomas Ramrage, in St. Alban's Cathedral,--of the date 1529; Boutell's _Heraldry_, p. 357. Engravings of which may also be frequently found elsewhere.

No. 10 occurs in a small signet seal, two impressions of which are attached as a counterseal to a lease by the Priory of Dartford, co. Kent, bearing date 24th December, 1529. This sealing on the back rendered it impossible to detach the large wax seal and apply it fraudulently to another document. This is engraved _Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries_, 27th May, 1875.

Occurs also in a brass, Okeover impaling Aston, date 1520 (Boutell's _Brasses_, p. 127), see No. 75.

Also in another brass, at Sprouston, Norfolk, dated 1559.

No. 11 occurs without the bouche on a chimney-piece at the Episcopal Palace, Exeter, 1486.

With the bouche, in the Ramrage Chantry, St. Alban's Abbey, of about the same date (Boutell's _Heraldry_, p. 98).

Also in heraldic drawings of 1536, in Willement's _Regal Heraldry_.

No. 12, but without the bouche, occurs in Henry VII.'s chapel (_Archæologia_, vol. xvi, p. 194).

The annexed engraving shows a most interesting knightly shield of the Schutz family, of Shotover, co. Oxford, dating from the fifteenth century. It is 2 feet 8 inches long by 1 foot 1½ inches broad, and was, when Mr. Hewitt wrote his book, in the possession of the Rev. J. Wilson, President of Trinity College, Oxford. It is engraved and described, _Ancient Arms and Armour_, vol. ii, p. 496.

It will be remembered that John of Gaunt's shield, described at p. 29, very closely resembles No. 12.

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Nos. 13, 14, and 15.

No. 13 is shown in the seal of the Free School of Richmond, Yorkshire, founded 1535-6 (Gale's _Registrum Honoris de Richmond_, p. 254).

In an old engraving, showing Henry VIII. and his Parliament, in Hall's _Chronicle_, published 1548, a shield of this shape appears on the curtain extending behind the throne.

No. 14--In a heraldic drawing, 1558, of the arms of Elizabeth, in Harl. MS. 6096, three of these shields are grouped (Willement's _Regal Heraldry_).

Annexed engraving of an enamelled plaque, supposed to have formed originally the centre of a large salver or dish, is taken from _Proceed. Soc. Antiq._, 7th Dec., 1876, and shows our shield No. 14 with the date 1563. Sir Thomas Bell died in 1566; he was thrice Mayor of the City of Gloucester, and also represented it in Parliament.

A Scotch seal, Francis Earl of Bothwell, 1587 (engraved _Herald and Genealogist_, vol. iv, p. 19).

Another Scotch seal, the Earl of Eglinton, 1620 (engraved _Herald and Genealogist_, vol. iv, p. 18).

Engravings in _The English Baronetage, 1741_, show the same.

Also in _Principal Historical and Allusive Arms_, by De la Motte, 1803, which work, indeed, aims at variety in its shapes and designs.

No. 15--In the printer's mark of Ant. du Ry, of Leyden, 1525.

In the shield of Anne Bullen, 1533 (Willement's _Regal Heraldry_).

Also a seal, 1575, _Miscell. Genealogica_, vol. ii, p. 170.

These shapes lend themselves particularly to decorations in stained glass, where variations may be constantly found, but it is generally difficult in such cases to give an exact date.

From all which it appears that these shapes--Nos. 13 to 15--began about 1520, and prevailed till about the third quarter of the sixteenth century; and from their beautiful outlines, they occasionally are used even to the present day. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries they may often be found hacked and scrolled.

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